How do I use computer link to communicate with a mitsubishi Fx1n plc

[Tonyd]

I have created a program that collects counter valves and assigns a date time stamp to the counter value using the real time clock. This information is then stored in a block a data registers. I am using Gx Developer so its very easy to see the data register values. Now the problem is I want to use something like visual basic, to create a form and pull off the values of the data registers. Does anyone know how to communicate directly from a computer using the SC09 programming cable and what commands, protocol etc will be required to be set within the PLC?
some help with this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[softwareguy]

You can purchase a software driver from Mitsubishi called MX-Components that will allow you to write a VB program and connect to the FX series PLC the cost of MX-Components is $500. There is a software package called Sellwood that is found here www.dwhylton.com for $299 that will allow you to build a very nice interface in minutes. The Sellwood software allows you to connect to the FX series PLC with the red sc-o9 programming cable. This is very nice software that turns a PC connected to a Mitsubishi FX PLC into a full blown SCADA scada system.

 

[Doug Hylton]

RE How do I use computer link to communicate with a mitsubishi Fx1n plc

The communication to the Mitsubishi Fx PLC’s it through the front port. The front port is the one you connect the SC09 cable. There is a protocol for talking to the PLC and it is proprietary. Mitsubishi does not sell the communication protocol its top secret. You can purchase a driver from Mitsubishi in what is called MX-Components. MX-Components has the driver code in C, and Visual basic. The other way to go is to use and OPC server. You can get the library component to interface to your visual basic code. Then you will need an OPC server for each location.



The communication to the PLC is by serial ASCII characters. You send a sting of address in hex to the plc polling buffer and the PLC will return the status on each poll.



If you have the time and patience you can reverse engineer the driver with a port sniffer.



Doug Hylton

 

[Michael Bell]

How about fitting an FX1n-232BD (£99)and using the RS instruction in the PLC to get the data out that way.

 

[Doug Hylton]

FX1n-232BD

How about fitting an FX1n-232BD (£99)and using the RS instruction in the PLC to get the data out that way.

That will work.Doug Hylton

 

[Crossbow]

Or just buy MX Component from Mitsubishi. MX Component is a series of libraries which handle the communication which you can use in VB or VC++. There's no reason to reinvent the wheel.

 

[Doug Hylton]

MX-Componets and OPC servers

The cost of MX-Components is around $500 a copy and theoretically that is for use on one (1) computer. If you want to run your program on another computer you pay another $500. You can purchase an OPC server and connect to the server in the program but the cost for an OPC server is between $500 and $750. Again the OPC server is for use on a single PC.

For a simple connection to a printer or for data exchange on a limited basis the RS instruction will work for you.


Doug Hylton